How to cast to your TV

How to cast to your TV

‎04-08-201710:01 AM

If you have the right equipment, you should be able to cast from most apps, such as the BT Sport App, to any TV in the house. There’s two main ways you can do this, so grab a cuppa, and have a read below.

First things first – What’s Casting?

Casting is what it’s called when you send video from your phone or tablet to play on your TV. So, rather than being huddled around a small screen, you can play it out on your TV for everyone to enjoy.

Check our demo video on how to cast the BT Sport App to your TV:

Apple TV

Before you can start casting, you’ll need to make sure your Apple TV is set up and ready to go. For help with this, you can see Apple’s set-up instructions here. Then simply follow the steps below:

1. Make sure that your TV is on the correct HDMI channel

2. Access the app as you normally would on your iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch

3. When the device senses an Apple TV on the same network, an Airplay icon should appear in the bottom right corner of the video player. Here’s an example of the icon to help you find it:

Apple TV's Airplay Icon

4. Just Tap the icon and select 'Apple TV' from the menu that appears. This video should then appear on your TV. Like magic.

Chromecast

Before you can start casting, you’ll need to set up your Chromecast according to the manufacturer's instructions. For help with this, you can see Google’s set-up instructions here. Then simply follow the steps below:

1. Make sure that your TV is on the correct HDMI channel

2. Open the App you wish to cast from and press play on the video you want to watch

3. Tap the cast button and choose which screen you want to cast to, and voila! It’s on the big screen. Here’s an example of the icon if you can’t it:

Chromecast cast button

Still stuck? You can take a look at Google’s Quick Start Guide to the Chromecast, or Apple’s guide to Using Airplay on your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch.

With the new BT Sport app, worth mentioning that casting doesn't work with Apple if you use the Airplay mirroring option in the control panel. You will get an error message saying that you require a BT Broadband subscription or BT with Sky subscription. You have to cast via the Airplay button on the bottom of the BT video player screen on the app. However, you can mirror from the BT Sport website.

Casting : how do you know what is the correct HDMI channel on your TV please? I was able to cast for a couple of years but recently it has all stopped and I am exploring whether it is the TV or the cast's fault. I think it is to do with the TV but am not sure, any advice would be welcome. Thank you.

Further to my Thursday comment about my inability to now cast, I have been told by a reliable Sony dealer (make of my TV) that HDMI ports need to have their software updated. This is usually done between 12 midnight and 4 am when software updates are sent via BBC or ITV channels BUT you must keep your TV on standby to receive. This I have never done and so he believes my HDMI port software is now out-of-date. I have certainly tested the chromecast and it works on another TV, so it must be my TV at fault. I thought this might be a useful comment to share. Over and out!

@alastairp - there are other options depending on the TV and smartphone/tablet that you have. You can also cast via a HDMI cable/USB if you are not able to cast wireles. If you are able to cast wirelessly then a Miracast is also an option.

This is not a device as such, this just a method of displaying the content (be it a video or show) from an app on your smartphone or tablet to you TV so that you can watch it on a big screen opposed to on a small one! So if you have an app that shows the Austrialian cricket at a later date then then you will be able to watch this on you TV opposed to your smartphone or tablet via the method of casting.

Using the BTSport app to cast to your Chromecast TV is unwatchable. The picture stutters every couple of seconds, I would not recommend the experience. I cast with other apps like Netflix and Amazon just fine so it's definitely a poor BT App problem.